Behaviour has to fit in with the
working environment
Wessel Schot is a consultant/trainer at Falke & Verbaan. This organisation consultancy bureau has been engaged by RijnDijk Construction to
provide training in the areas of ‘Safety and Behaviour’. A new step on the way to an even safer working environment.
“At some point, every company

aids to prevent similar situations.

sessions at RijnDijk Construction.

that takes safety very seriously and

That is necessary, of course, but

First, we discussed ‘behaviour and

implements procedures as much

that does not result in a proactive

safety behaviour’ in general and we

as possible with that in mind, hits

safety culture. To a high degree,

laid the foundation for an in-house

a plateau, beyond which there is

safety is about behaviour: the beha-

safety culture. Then, we discussed

not much room for improvement,”

viour of the employees, the supervi-

a number of actual working situa-

Schot says. “Regardless of what

sors, and the senior management.”

tions with management, the super-

you do, the number of accidents

Wessel Schot: “Behaviour that
is appropriate for the working
environment"

visors and the foremen. We looked

or incidents stops declining. That

What do you have to do?

at what behaviour was preferred

is because it’s not always technical

“It’s not so much a question of good

and what was unwanted. Those

or organisational problems that

or bad behaviour. It’s more about

sessions were very positive, with

are behind unsafe situations. In

behaviour that is inappropriate for a

everyone being very open to each

general, safety management often

specific working environment. And

other, contributing to solutions and

has a strong technical and reactive

that can be observed even before

awareness of the fact that one’s own

character. Incidents and accidents

incidents occur. It’s often possible

behaviour affects the behaviour of

are analysed in detail intensively

to prevent incidents and accidents

others. The question now is to keep

after the fact. And the follow-up

by focusing on behaviour that

that alive. I am very confident of

actions are often directed at tech-

could lead to dangerous or unsafe

being able to do that.”

nical (working condition-related)

situations. We’ve had a number of

‘Just do it quickly’ can be fatal
Gerard Ozenga and Saïd Khabbabi work at FIB Industries. Gerard is an

“In truth, it’s very simple,” Gerard

not sure about what I’m doing, I

installer of cellar beer installations and Saïd is a sheet metal worker in